Malaysia plans National Disease Control Centre to tackle future health crises
In response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia’s Health Ministry has announced plans to establish a National Disease Control Centre (NDCC). The information was released in a Health White Paper published on the Parliament’s website. The NDCC aims to enhance the country’s preparedness and ability to respond rapidly to potential public health crises in the future.
The Covid-19 pandemic has tested Malaysia’s healthcare system, revealing gaps and constraints in cross-agency and cross-border coordination during national health emergencies. The NDCC will serve as the foundation for preparing and responding to infectious diseases, as well as coordinating the distribution of health personnel during a crisis.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has also shown how important it is to ensure the availability of sufficient medical equipment, diagnostics and essential medicines,” the paper stated.
The initiative to strengthen the existing public health service network is still in its conceptual stage. The establishment of the NDCC is a crucial step towards ensuring a more robust and resilient healthcare system in Malaysia, better equipped to manage future public health crises.
